"Hang on. I am seeing a pattern here. BHN intends to move the new HD channels to SDV along with some others so they told the computer to limit channels for everyone with cable card service and now they have entangled the Tivo customers with that broad policy."

Along with this:

"I can confirm SDV will be deployed with MDN which is being rolled out on a limited basis right now with new DVR's. BHN will need to switch over all users to MDN to deploy SDV" (MDN is the new GUI interface on the DVR/STB's)

Last thing is the fact the on the 1st TBSHD worked and AETVHD did not, and now the opposite is true.

To me this all seems like a big push to get cablecard people on the BHN DVR before the dongle is available.

It is very frustrating that we cannot get a consistent, reasonable explanation from BHN as to why this they have limited HD channels to CableCARD-based STBs. BHN CSRs are all over the map in their responses - it is SDV, it's not SDV, it's your TiVo, CableCARD not compatible with new HD, etc. However, they all concur on one response:

YOUR PROBLEM IS NOT THE FAULT OF BHN!

The first step to recovery is to first admit that there is a problem. BHN has yet to take this first step. Until they do, we will get no satisfaction.

They are doing it to force non-Tivo CableCard customers to switch to the new DVR. Because they will need to.

Tivo users are caught in the cross-fire. Assuming the USB SDV box will get deployed, Tivo users have no such issues and do not need to be forced to switch. The HD channels should be viewable in the meantime. BHN doesn't have their act together, and the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Just call them up, explain the situation, and hopefully they'll reactivate those channels on your account.

I apologize for the issues you are having with your TiVO equipment. Bright House Networks has not launched SDV that is planned for later this year. With the rising demand for new HD channels and new programming in general, Bright House must move to this new technology to satisfy the needs of our customers.

I read the Blog attached to your Message and some of the information that is posted there is not correct. As you may have read, the first generation of cable cards that are installed in your TiVO HD DVR are no longer supported by the manufactures because of a new generation of cable cards (M-cards) will be coming out late in the second quarter of this year. In addition, there currently are not any TV manufactures that are building cable card TVs that utilize the first generation one-way cable cards. To my knowledge, TiVO is the only manufacturer still building a product that uses one-way cable cards. Since the one-way cards won’t be supported by the manufacture or by TV manufacturing companies we have stopped adding channel capacity to those cards which is why you are unable to view the HD channels that were launched on February 1st. The downside to purchasing your equipment is that when technology changes, as it does all too frequently, the consumer is often left out in the cold.

TiVO has been working with a cable industry think tank called CableLabs and has developed a USB adapter that will make the current version of TiVO HD and HD DVRs fully compatible with SDV, all of our HD channels and all of interactive services. Your current TiVO product doesn’t support any of our interactive services and never could with one-way cable cards. This product will be available for purchase by consumers sometime in the second quarter of this year according to TiVO.

Mark A. Clark
Sr. Director of Field Operations
Bright House Networks

This guy thinks I'm a moron. Stopped adding channels to the cards? WTF, this proves they are purposely limiting cablecard users.

So I just talked to Mark on the phone and I told him I had an M-Card, and I also pointed out that the M-Cards in the SA8300HDC are receiving the channels. I also pointed out the fact that I didn't just lose the new channels on Feb 1, I also lost existing channels as well (TBSHD, AETVHD, HGTVHD), he wasn't aware of that. I asked why they couldn't add the service tags for the new channels to the m-cards, he didn't have an answer but is going to get one so maybe this will be good news.

Makes no sense. I switched to two m-cards back when 9.1 came out and the cablecards had all those problems that 9.2 fixed. Brighthouse gave me an HD DVR today to use at no additional cost until the Tivo fix comes along. Through the holes on top of it I CAN SEE AN M-CARD IN THERE!!! Since they are not yet SDV, it definitely seems like they are purposely restricting those cards that are not in their boxes. Because of pairing necessities I don't think I can pull out their "unlocked" card and put it in my Tivo...can I? Anyways, I think I'd rather have just the SD versions of channels right now if there is still a ray of hope.

Yah if you look on the back there is a door that says M-Card with a piece of tape over it. I am starting to think Brighthouse doesn't know what they are doing because if they are just giving out free DVR's its not really helping their bottom line to do this but well I am still not sure ...

This is how I just explained the issue to a friend.. Kinda made me giggle..

"... Over the last year, we all purchased two puppies from Brighthouse. On February First we woke up and all of our puppies were really sick. When we called Bright House to make an appointment for a check up, they told us that if we didn't switch to Bright House Brand Puppy Chow, Our puppies would die ..."

This is how I just explained the issue to a friend.. Kinda made me giggle..

"... Over the last year, we all purchased two puppies from Brighthouse. On February First we woke up and all of our puppies were really sick. When we called Bright House to make an appointment for a check up, they told us that if we didn't switch to Bright House Brand Puppy Chow, Our puppies would die ..."

Actually, it's more like this:

"If you don't switch for BH Puppy Chow, your dog will die. To compensate you for your loss, we'll give you a fish"

__________________
S3
HD
Series 2
Series 2 DT
Assorted other humans and animals

I just got the rundown on my options from brighthouse customer service. The choices they gave me are...

Quote:

Customers with CableCARD televisions can choose from four (4) options:

1.) Upgrade to HD service with Digital SmartBox (trade in CableCARD)
2.) No-monthly-fee HD Digital Receiver (trade in CableCARD)
3.) Keep CableCARD without receiving newly added HD channels
4.) Keep the CableCARD and ADD the free HD Digital Receiver to the same
TV using a splitter

The offer includes offering a free regular HD digital box, not an HD DVR
digital box.

As far as I'm concerned, options 1 and 3 are them not really doing anything. Option 2 sucks because I can't use my TiVo anymore and don't get any DVR functionality in return. And I fail to see why anyone would choose option 2 when they could choose option 4 instead. Option 4 is close to reasonable, but they should be offering a DVR instead of a receiver.

We have a Series 3 Tivo with two M cards, don't have the new channels and have lost the usual channels in other posts.

Just wanted to weigh in since BH seems to think this combo isn't possible and the root of our latest frustrations.

I just don't understand why a "service" provider cares what equipment I use. Lets see they don't have to invest in R&D or support the equipment. All they need to do is provide the best service they can. Seems like both BH and DTV have forgotten about the "service" part of their business. Considering I can take my business elsewhere such as me canceling DTV, why would one company give me reason to leave if keeping me is no cost to them. I just don't understand the business side of it. Why would you expend resources to actively pursue ways to lose customers!!!!

Not yet, I actually know one of the editors and we chat on AIM from time to time but I think this maybe overly technical for the consumerist, but I have been contacted by the Orlando Sentinel to do an interview so expect to see that soon.

There are some errors in the story that should be corrected:
1. There are more than a "handful" affected.
2. BHN is providing a free HD STB, not a free HD DVR, until adapter comes out.
3. No explanation from senior VP as to why BHN's own DVR, which uses CableCARD, is not affected.
4. VP needed to be asked why CableCARD users were not informed of channel limitation prior to its implementation.

OTOH, it does provide some publicity for CableCARD. The more subscribers that elect to use the device, the less likely this kind of stuff will happen in the future.

There are some errors in the story that should be corrected:
1. There are more than a "handful" affected.
2. BHN is providing a free HD STB, not a free HD DVR, until adapter comes out.
3. No explanation from senior VP as to why BHN's own DVR, which uses CableCARD, is not affected.
4. VP needed to be asked why CableCARD users were not informed of channel limitation prior to its implementation.

OTOH, it does provide some publicity for CableCARD. The more subscribers that elect to use the device, the less likely this kind of stuff will happen in the future.

It also puts BHN as opposed to the generic "Cable Industry" on record that they are indeed working with Tivo on the dongle. That is at least gives some assurance that BHN is planning on supporting them.

__________________
There are 10 kinds of people out there.
Those that understand binary and those that don't.

There are some errors in the story that should be corrected:
1. There are more than a "handful" affected.
2. BHN is providing a free HD STB, not a free HD DVR, until adapter comes out.
3. No explanation from senior VP as to why BHN's own DVR, which uses CableCARD, is not affected.
4. VP needed to be asked why CableCARD users were not informed of channel limitation prior to its implementation.

OTOH, it does provide some publicity for CableCARD. The more subscribers that elect to use the device, the less likely this kind of stuff will happen in the future.

3. The cablecard is not the problem. It is the host device, i.e. Tivo, which does not have two way capability. Cable boxes with cablecards are two way capable.

SDV or Switched Digital Video needs a two way to work and BHN and others are moving to this technology. Any channel using SDV are not viewable to Cable Card users. Reading between the lines of the Orlando Sentinel

Quote:

In preparing for a new cable delivery technology called "Switched Digital Video," Bright House decided not to deliver these channels to the CableCard customers, Orduna said. The four channels -- HGTV HD, TBS HD, The History Channel HD and Food Network HD -- were pulled last Friday, when Bright House rolled out five new HD channels.

"It was a mistake on our part for doing that and for having it out there inadvertently," Orduna said. "We are all about creating value with new technology. And sometimes there are hiccups when implementing new technology."

BHN is planning on moving to SDV but hasn't yet. They are restricting access to their new HD channels because they figure its easier to never give you something in the first place rather than taking it away at a later date. Good assumption by the way, look at everyone complaining about having fewer channels now because the took 4 away, they just had poor implementation by letting 4 channels out and are taking them back. But it does beg to question with the Tivo Dongle also coming out 2nd quarter to enable SDV compatibility why not let the Tivo CC users get the channels because they are going to be getting a dongle when they come out anyway and will be able to get them anyway.

__________________
There are 10 kinds of people out there.
Those that understand binary and those that don't.

They are restricting access to their new HD channels because they figure its easier to never give you something in the first place rather than taking it away at a later date. Good assumption by the way, look at everyone complaining about having fewer channels now because the took 4 away, they just had poor implementation by letting 4 channels out and are taking them back. But it does beg to question with the Tivo Dongle also coming out 2nd quarter to enable SDV compatibility why not let the Tivo CC users get the channels because they are going to be getting a dongle when they come out anyway and will be able to get them anyway.

Exactly. Ideally they should unblock those channels and then send a letter to CableCARD customers a few weeks before they TRULY need to make those channels unavailable. THAT would be good customer service, not what they've done now.

Exactly. Ideally they should unblock those channels and then send a letter to CableCARD customers a few weeks before they TRULY need to make those channels unavailable. THAT would be good customer service, not what they've done now.

Agreed. If they had sent a letter stating what was going to happen I think we would of all coped a little better. So, instead of BHN making this a TiVo issue, they have made it a BHN issue.

I mean, they send me something every week to switch to their Digital Phone service -- So it's not like they are strapped for cash on postage.

You guys should consider yourselves very lucky. At least BHN stepped up to the plate and is offering a free HD DVR until the tuning resolver solution surfaces. That is a lot more than I have heard any other provider rolling out SDV offering. Only wish Cox Orange County, CA would offer such a deal for the 8 HD channels I cannot receive even though SDV hasn't deployed here yet...

Edit: How exactly is this legal? I realize the cable companies can pretty much do whatever they want and Tivo users are a drop in the pond, but doesn't this seem like a class action lawsuit (I hate bringing that up as much as often as it is thrown out around here)? There is not any technical reason to do this and it seems (on the surface) to be illegal. It seems there might be a reasonable (i.e. non threatening) way to bring this up to Brighthouse but I am not a lawyer....

Last edited by dig_duggler; 02-08-2008 at 11:28 AM..
Reason: Add a question

Ok Spoke to Mark Clark, Senior Director of Field Ops again he said that the executive board is going to review the changes that engineer made sometime next week. He stated they did not think it would have the impact that it did and that its become quite the PR headache for them . I told him that TiVo customers are a loyal, vocal, and very technical bunch. So we may win after all, I hope. I said I would give him a call in a week to see what the result of that meeting would be. He offered me a free HD DVR again but I turned it down until after the meeting.